anton



(No Model.)

J. G. ANTON.

REPETITION PIANO ACTION.

No. 476,115. Patented May 31,1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. ANTON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PHILIP G.ANTON, OF SAME PLACE.

REPETITION PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,115, dated May 31,1892.

Anplication filed October 9, 1891.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. ANTON, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inRepetition Piano-Actions, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanyrang drawings,forming part of this specifica- This invention relates to a system ofadj ustable compound levers, with associate springs and buffer-cushions,that operate the hammer to a single strike and counteract its tendencyto repeat the same; and the invention consists, to eifect said purpose,in a stiff blade spring or bar that is secured to the hammer-butt abovethe level of its pivotal bearing and whose controlling-foot is belowsaid level, which foot at a time nearly coincident with the striking ofthe hammer strikes an adjustable buffer-button, thereby reversing theaction of the blade-spring, which had moved in the direction of theforward movement of the hammer, and making said bladespring and thehammer-butt it controls to rebound backward from the direction of thestring, and thereby, after the first strike of the hammer, abutting andcounteracting the objectionable volunteer reiteration of its strike thatis caused by the rebouncing of the hammer-butt from the head of theliftingjack; and the invention further consists in features of noveltyhereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a side elevation of the device in its normal position atrest. Fig. II is a side detail elevation of the same and shows the partsin the respective positions they assume when the hammer strikes. Fig.III is also a side elevation of the same and shows the hammer and thependent blade-spring in the respective positions they assume when, afterthe single strike of the hammer, the blade spring and the hammer-butt itcontrols prevent the reiterated strike of the hammer; and Fig. IV is amodification of the device, which adapts it for use with grand, square,and other horizontal movements.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents one Serial No. 408,246. (Nomodel.)

of the keys; 2, the center-pin, on which and on its cushion 3 said keyworks.

4 is the regulating-frog, 5 the rocker-foot of said frog, and 6 theset-screws that secure the adjusted position of said frog.

7 represents the guidepin on which the key Works. 8 is a felt cushionaround said pin, on which the tappet end of the key rests whendepressed, and 9 is the forward cushion, that rests the key in itsnormal inactive po sition.

10 represents the abstract or pedestal on which the lifting-jack 11 ismounted. The said abstract has a forked base 12, that is seated in theslotted end of said frog and which is secured by the pin 13 by the aidof the set-screw 14, which closes said forks on said pin.

15 represents the extended arm of the jack, the perforate seat 16 inwhose butt 17 is mounted 011 the top of said abstract.

18 represents the jack-shank, the foot of which is secured to the'butt17 by the attachment-screw 19 and whose conical head 20 is coveredaround its crown 21 and chin 22 by a felt cushion 23. 2a is a cushion onthe rear side of said jack-shank, and 25 is a projecting lug on theforward side of said shank.

26 represents the eceentrically formed and operated hammer-butt whichhas its bearings on the journal-pin 27, which journal-pin is seated inthe forks of the bifurcated bracket 28, which bracket is secured byattachmentscrews to the main rail 29, to which the movement devices areattached. A button-plate 30 is secured by a screw to the hami'ner-butt,and as said hammer-butt works on its journal-pin between the forks ofsaid bracket 28 the said button-plate secures said hammerbutt to itsjournal-bearings.

31 represents a regulating frog-plate, which is adj ustably secured byscrews to the lower face of said hammer-butt, to which adjustment itrocks on the arc-lug 32, that projects from said hammer-butt. Theprojecting lip of said frog-plate chucks or engages under the chin 22 ofthe jack-head, and as the key rises from its depression aids theback-throw of the hammer.

33 represents a saddle-recess in the hammer-butt immediately above thejack-head. 34 is a felt cushion that underlines said saddle, and 35 is aplug balance-weight in the upper forward horn of the hammer-butt.

36 represents the blade spring or bar, which is preferably a stiffspring, but may be a bar, and which, as will be described hereinafter,with its coadjutory elements, form important elements of the inventionto prevent the volunteer restriking of the hammer. The said blade-springis at its upper end secured to the rear upper horn of the hammer-butt bythe screw 37 and hangs pendent therefrom.

38 is a fulcrum-cushion, that is attached to and projects from the lowerrear horn of the hammer butt, against which cushion the blade-springrests midway and against which it fulcrums when said blade-springbecomes operative to arrest the restriking of the hammer.

39 represents an angle trip-foot, that is secured by a screw to thelower end of the blade-spring, and 40 is a felt cushion around therearwardly-projecting toe of said foot. Vhile I show and prefer saidblade-spring and angle-foot attachment, as it is more quickly responsiveand lively in its movement than a bar, yet a bar with an upturned footmay be used in its stead.

11 represents a cushioned buffer-button that hangs pendent from thescrew-ad j ustable rod 42, whose screw is seated and adjustcdin thebutton-rail 43.

44 represents the ha n1 mer,whose head-block 45 is mounted on thehammer-shank 46, the said shank being mounted in the upper face of thehammer-butt, and L7 is the cushioned soft-pedal rail, against which theham mershanks rest in their inactive normal positions, to which theyreturn after striking the strings 48.

49 represents a bifurcated hanger-bracket that is secured by a screw tothe lowerend of the main rail 29, and 50 is the damper-lever, which isseated and journaled between the forks of said hanger bracket. The saiddamper-lever at its rear end is provided with a bevel-faced bifurcatedfoot 51, that rides on a downward incline on the upper bevelface of thebutt 17 on the extended arm of the jack. The projecting lug 25 on theforward side of thejaek-shank rides between the forks of the bifurcatedfoot 51 of said damper-lever to hold the head 20 of said jack fromlateral displacement from its saddle-seat in the hammer-butt.

52 represents a strap-spring whose upper fast end is journaled betweenthe underhung lugs 53 on the lower side of the damper-lever and whosecurved runner-nose 54: works between the upwardly-projecting lugs 55 ofthe extended arm 15 of the lifting-jack. The said spring, in conjunctionwith the bevel-footed damper-lever that rides on its inclined seat onthe bevel-butt 17 of the extended arm 15 of the jack, facilitates theprompt return of the key, and also of the hammer, to their normalpositions. The said parts also aid to retain the jack-head in itssaddle-seat in the hammer-butt.

56 represents the bifurcated dam per-bearer bracket which is seen red bya screw to the top of the main rail and projects forward beyond it, and57 is the butt-shaft of said damper, which works on its journal-pin 58between the forks of said bifurcated bracket.

59 is the damper-shank.

(i0 is the damper-cushion which is adjusted and secured on its shank bythe set-screw 01, and 62 is the cushioned rail, against which the damperrests in its normal inoperative position.

63 represents a projectile spring that is secured to the damper-bearerbracket 56 and rises vertically therefrom and whose curved runner end64: works within the rearwardlyprojecting lugs (55 at the top of thebutt-shaft 57 of the damper.

(36 represents acushion on the rear side at bottom of the butt-shaft,and (37 is a buffer stay-pin against which said cushion rests when thedamper touches the wire.

08 represents a foot-spring that is secured to and rises vertically fromthe forward end of the damper-lever 50 and whose curved runner end 69presses against said cushion G6 at the foot of the butt-shaft 57 tofacilitate the withdrawal of the damper from the string.

70 represents a balance-lever that is secured by the screws 71 to thehammer-butt in my modification (shown in Fig. IV) that is adapted tohorizontal actions, which lever is provided with the plug-weights 7 2,and counterbalances the hammer on its horizontal shank.

The operation of the device is as follows: Then the key is pressed downwith the usual sufficient force for the hammer to strike the string, thelatter part of its forward course from about the position shown in Fig.III is effected by the momentum of the hammer, and to which positionafter striking the string it immediately rebounds, and it is highlyimportant that the hammer should be immediately restrained from avolunteer reactionary strike. This objectionable feature is prevented inmy device by the counteracting functions of my stiff blade spring or bar36 the hammer-butt it controls, and the other eoadjutant elements of thedevice. The said blade-spring is fastened to the upper horn of thehammer-butt at a point above the center bearing of said hammer-butt,from which it hangs pendent, and its foot 39, which is on a lower planethan the journal-bearing of said hammer-butt, about coincidently withthe striking of the hammer, strikes the adjustable buffer-button 41, andsaid blade bar or spring, pressing against its fulcrum-cushion 38,rebounds with the hammer-butt it controls, and thus counteracts andnnllities the re actionary tendency of the hammer to restrike, and itremains poised in the position shown in Fig. III. It will also be seenthat other ICO IIO

elements in the device coact with said blade spring to bring thehammer-butt, and thereby the hammer, to a quickly quiescent condition ofperfect rest, thus not only preventing the reiteration of the hammersstrike, but also quieting the tremor in the action, and thus securing aclearer modulation of the tones. Among said coacting elements is theliftingjack, which, instead of having the customary escapement beneaththe hammer-butt, (which escapement is one of the most fruitful causes ofdisarrangement in piano-movements,) is seated in a cushioned saddle 33in said hammer-butt, and is not required to neither does it ever escapefrom its saddle; also, said constantly-saddle-seated jack-head insuresan undeviating response of the movements to the slightest touch of thekeys. Again, it will be seen that as the key is depressed and elevatesthe jack the front of the extended arm 15 of the jack is elevated,thereby compressing the spring 52 and bringing the bevel end of thedamper-lever 50 into coincidence with its bevel saddle-seat on the butt17 of said jackarm 15, thereby not only throwing back the damper by thefoot-spring 68, but also facilitating the prompt return of both the keyand hammer to their normal position, so that besides aiding, as stated,to prevent a reiterated strike of the hammer it also prevents alingering strike, making the strike more definite and clear. It alsokeeps the head of the lifting-jack in constant contact with its saddlein the hammer-butt, and the head of the jack is kept from lateraldisplacement in its saddle-seat in the hammer-butt by the projecting lug25, which is seated and Works'in the bifurcated end of the damperlever50. It will also be seen (see Fig. II) that when the hammer strikes, thesaddlecushion in the hammer-butt alone presses against the forehead ofthe jack, while the said saddle being elevated free from the crown andback of said jack-head still further facilitates the prompt retirementof the hammer from the string before the fingers have even time to leavethe key.

The plug-weight that balances the hammerbutt and its coadjutarymovementsis important, so that the slightest touch on the key may meetits responsive action.

I claim as my inventionl. In a repetition piano-action, the combinationof the pivoted eccentric hammer-butt, the hammer mounted thereon, andthe pendent blade 36 and butter-button that control said hammer-butt andprevent the volunteer restriking of the hammer, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the pivotedeccentric hammerbutt, the hammer mounted on said butt, the pendentblade-spring secured to the hammer-butt above the level of itspivot-bearing and having a trip-foot below said level, and theadjustable buffer-button that said trip-foot collides with,substantially as described.

In a repetition piano-action, the combi nation of the pivoted eccentrichammer-butt, the hammer mounted on said butt, the pivot on which saidbutt is journaled, the bladespring secured to the hammer-butt abovethelevel of its pivot-bearing, the trip-foot at the bottom of saidblade-spring on a level below that of said journal-bearing, thefulcrumcushion 38 on saidhammer-butt, and the buffer-button that saidtrip-foot collides with, substantially as described.

i. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the pivotedeccentric hammer-butt, the balance plug-weight 35 in said butt, thehammer mounted on said butt, the pendent blade 36, secured to thehammer-butt above the level of its pivot-bearing, the trip-foot at thebottom of said pendent blade on a level below that of saidjournal-bearings, the fulcrum-cushion 38, arranged as a fulcrum to saidpendent blade, the button-rail43, the adj ustable screw-button rod 42,and the cushioned buffer-button secured to said rod, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the pivoted key, theregulating-frog 4, adjustably attached to said key, the abstract orpedestal 10, mounted on said frog, the extended jack-arm 15, mounted onsaid pedestal, the jack-shank 18, secured to said arm, the conical head20, that surmounts said shank, the pivoted hammer-butt 26, and thesaddle in said butt that rides on said head of the jack, substantiallyas described.

6. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the pivoted key, theregulating-frog 4 and its rocker-foot 5, adj ustably mounted on saidkey, the abstract or pedestal 10, the extended jack-arm 15 with itsbevel butt-scat 17, the jack-shank 18, the conical j ack-head 20, thehammer-butt26, the saddle 33 in said butt that rides said jack-head, thedamper-lever 50, the bevel-faced foot of said lever that rides thebevel-butt 17 of said jack-arm, the upwardly-projecting lugs 55 of saidextended jack-arn1,the underhung lugs 53 on the damper-lever, and thestrap-spring 52, that is journaled in said lugs and Whose Workingrunner-nose 5s Works between said lugs 55, substantially as described.

7. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the pivoted key, theadjustable regulating-frog 1, the abstract 10, the extended jack-arm 15,having the bevel butt-seat17, the j ack-shank 18, the conical cushionedj ackhead 20, having the projecting chin 22, the pivoted hammer-butt,the cushioned saddle 33 in said butt, the rocker arc-lug 32, and theadjustable regulating frog plate 31, that chucks under the chin 22 ofthe jack-head, arranged to aid the back-throw of the hammer,substantially as described.

8. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the pivoted key, theadjustable regulating-frog 4, the abstract 10, the extended jack-arm 15,having the bevel butt-seat 17, the jack-shank 18, the conical cushionedj ackhead 20, having the projecting chin 22, the pivoted hammer-butt,the cushioned saddle 33 in said butt, the rocker-lug 32, the adjustblefrog-plate 31, that chucks under said chin of the jack-head tofacilitate the back-throw of the hammer, the damper-lever 50, thebifurcated hanger-bracket 49 in which said damper-lever is journaled,and the lug 25, that projects from the forward side of the jack-shankand works between the forks of the damper-lever to restrain the jackfrom lateral displacement, substantially as described.

9. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the key, the centerpin on which said key works, the guide-pin 7, that guides the tappet endof said key, the adjustable regulating -frog 4, the abstract 10, thatsupports the lifting-jack, the extending arm 15 of said lifting-jackwith its bevel-butt 17, the damper-lever 50, having the bifurcatedbevelfoot 51, that works on said bevel-butt 17, the hanger-bracket 49,secured to the main rail, in which bracket said damper-lever isjournaled, the reactionary spring" 52, the shank 18 ot the jack, theconical head mounted thereon, the cushion 24, secured to said shank ofthe jack, the pivoted hammer-butt, the hammer mounted thereon, thesaddle in said hammer-butt mounted on the conical head of the jack,thependent controlling-blade 30, secured to said hammer-butt above thelevelof its journal-bearing, the trip-foot secured to saidcontrollingblade beneath the level of said journal-bearing, and whichtrip-foot has its return rest on said cushion 24., and the adjustablebuffer-but ton at], substantially as described.

10. In a repetition piano-action, the combination of the hammer butt,the hammer mounted on said butt, the balance-lever 70 and theplug-weight it carries, the main rail 29, the bifurcated bracket 28,secured to said main rail, the journal-pin 27, secured in said bracketon which said hammer-butt has its journal-bearings, and the button-plate30, secured to said hammer-butt that holds it to its journal-bearings,substantially as described.

JOHN C. ANTON.

In presence of KENJN. A. KNIGHT, SAML. KNIGHT.

